All Things Volkl Thread

[kootenayskier]

Anyone have any experience on a 2014-2015 Kendo?

I blew up my Fischer Motive 86's on Saturday and found a pair of lightly used Kendo's locally for $150 (CAD).

I'm thinking they will be a good place holder until I can sort out what I want next.

The only hitch is that the bindings are mounted for a size bigger so I may be 0.5 forward, they are the 184s.

They’re traditionally shaped 89 under foot Volkls with a full layer of metal. They tweak them every now and then, but you know what you’re getting. For $150, just buy them, give them a proper tune, and ski them. 0.5cm forward means nothing on such a rearward mount.

[Fred Pabst]

Did a remount to my M102 191 cms. They were forward of the rec line(most rearward line) by 12mm. I knew immediately on day one that I should of just stuck with the rec line. So after about 1/2 a dozen days of use went for the remount to the rec line. The way to go for me. 6' and 215lbs. ymmv. Truly amazing skis for sure.

[BC.]

Love to hear your impressions. Love my M6’s on piste. Can only imagine how good those will be!

Having a good time on these Kendos here in NEPA during this crap winter…have been skiing them on 100% man made gun powder.

These have a real smoothness to them. Lots of different turn shapes/really holds a nice long edge but can also have a nice pop into the next short turn…Very easy to ski…I am glad I got them/ I will probably ski them more than intended.

Despite my Moment 2 ski quiver…..I guess I am still a “Volkl guy”.

[ASP]

Just here to remind everyone that the M102 is a ridiculously good ski.

[The Tortoise]

They’re traditionally shaped 89 under foot Volkls with a full layer of metal. They tweak them every now and then, but you know what you’re getting. For $150, just buy them, give them a proper tune, and ski them. 0.5cm forward means nothing on such a rearward mount.

They ended up coming with a good tune on them, with STH 13 bindings.

The mount is 0.75 cm forward, hopefully it's not an issue.

For $150, it seemed hard to go wrong. They are replacing a pair of Motive 86's that I liked in soft snow but never really loved on anything firm.

[kootenayskier]

They ended up coming with a good tune on them, with STH 13 bindings.

The mount is 0.75 cm forward, hopefully it's not an issue.

For $150, it seemed hard to go wrong. They are replacing a pair of Motive 86's that I liked in soft snow but never really loved on anything firm.

A steal at that price. Enjoy.

[MD12]

Just here to remind everyone that the M102 is a ridiculously good ski.

I can confirm that the newest version is ridiculously good too. Spent two days on it and was surprised how much more energy and forgiveness it had even at lower speeds - much more dynamic ski, jumping around tight moguls etc. great in soft snow and firm conditions. I like it more than the older version. Didn’t notice a drop off in stability at higher speeds but I didn’t push it quite as hard as I’ve pushed the older version quite yet.

[Djongo Unchained]

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[Djongo Unchained]

I finally got the new M102's mounted and got healthy enough to go out and roll them for the past 3 days.

Some impressions:
I went out planning on sticking to groomers early, still smooth and easy before the peeps get moving, trying to not jack a recent nerve issue in my back.
Contrary to the initial plan, I immediately go faster than I want, quite comfortably. It's just that they were so easy right outta the gates that I kinda let em go. 55 mph on their first run.

They are interesting in that they feel like a full on GS ski, but they handle fairly nimbly. Matter of fact, I'm thinking nimbleness and agility may be a highlight of this ski.

If I'm right, it may be the droid I've been looking for.
A big mountain charger that doesn't trade down in performance for a bit more catlike personality.

So i'm banging around fast on the cord and carving like a sonofagun. The sharp edges are a treat. I detuned the T&T's hard, but a truebar just before snow showed edge high rails fore and aft, nbd.

Arcing the shit outta the cord and turning up the speed until the daily average was pert high.
Booking everywhere, as piles shaped, they blast everything.
Maybe a tad of deflection at mach offa bumps but damp and predictable response. It's not gonna pull you off in some rando direction easily.

A coupla inadvertant bump launches offered a smooth airtime and easy confident land n go's.
This ski breeds confidence if you push it. Although I've only had it feel wonky a coupla times going unpushy...

And therein lies what I think/hope may be its secret, it has reined in some of the tougher aspects of a true GS er.
I'm finding that this ski can pivot amazingly and the ability to alter that pivot radius almost instantaneously is most excellent.

On the smooth you can be in a 30m turn and change it to 16 in one arc then let them push back out into a 40m accelerator like it's nothing.

But off piste is where this ski really seems to shine for me.
Crudbusting has a kinda unique feel in that I'm standing on a dimensionally perfect platform and very well self centering.
Like that bounce offa the diving board when you nail the bounce and have a perfect boing!
I find myself in that position 95% of the time on these.

Slowing down for big carvy bumps is maybe the magic moment tho.
If ya pick a bigger line, maybe a 3 bump spread, you can let them manhandle the ripple while staying in control of the carve.
They will pivot offa the high point sooooooooo easily, I'm finding it rather uncanny, tbh.
Maybe it's the lighter tip and tail, but for a 191, them floppers go from side to side damn quickly.
I was talked up into the M102 from my first choice, the M6, which I had demoed last spring.
Having zero fucking regrets about thaaaat decision.



I was trying to ski a 1on/1off schedule to rehab the back nerves.
3 days in a row and I don't wanna take a day off.

I'm amazed these skis aren't beating me up more. They let me finesse my way outta trouble, rather than wrestling my way out.

[Shorty_J]

^^^ Nice!

Regarding a little edge high at the tips and tails... I have actually noticed that on every new pair of volkls I've bought in the last couple of years (4 pairs).

I just reset the edge bevels to 1 degree in those areas... part of why I even noticed this very minor amount of edge high is because my 1 degree bevel file doesn't do anything under foot but it does file some edge down at the extremities.

There's probably still a small void area of the base in those areas but I've noticed no grabbing on any of those pairs.

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[mr_pretzel]

Anyone ski the revolt 114 yet?

[Rob Stokes]

Or the new Katana V-werx?!

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[cat in january]

What changed with the Katana vwerks?

[kid-kapow]

Or the new Katana V-werx?!

I just say SkiTalk's presentation of Völkl 23/24 lineup, and it did not look like the KVW had changed at all. If it did then I could not tell from afar, nor had its dimensions changed. So it seems most likely that it returns unchanged for 23/24

[Rob Stokes]

Apparently it's been tweeked with some taper. There's talk about it on some gear previews I've seen.

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[Rob Stokes]

Just looked up that ski essentials video. They don't talk about the v-werx at all but the tip shape is slightly different, and it's lost the skin hole as well.

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[kid-kapow]

they seem to have replaced the hole with the current notch up front. Is the tip rocker made less abrupt? I honestly can't tell any massive differences - will be interesting to see them in the flesh.


Sorry that I did not post a link to said video - I do find that most of their videos do possess a rather high cringe factor. I much prefer SkiEssentials' videos, even if their advice wrt touring equipment is woefully inadaquate and seem pretty devoid of knowledge based on actual backcountry touring

[Bandit Man]

I finally got the new M102's mounted and got healthy enough to go out and roll them for the past 3 days.

I was trying to ski a 1on/1off schedule to rehab the back nerves.
3 days in a row and I don't wanna take a day off.

I'm amazed these skis aren't beating me up more. They let me finesse my way outta trouble, rather than wrestling my way out.

Glad you are enjoying the M102 and appreciate your thoughts on the newer version. The M102/K108 dampen out so much of the “harshness” in most conditions. They help my bad knee go the distance. Glad you are seeing similar effects.

It’s a bit amusing that this ski has been around since 2019 but gets so overlooked. I feel like there are lots of people who would enjoy a ski like this, but are a bit intimidated by the “Mantra” reputation.

[Robik]

I guess I have a problem.
Picked up some minty 22/23 M102 in 191 to compare them back to back with K108. If I like M102 enough to keep, KVM might be repurposed for resort pow ski

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[bry]

I guess I have a problem.
Picked up some minty 22/23 M102 in 191 to compare them back to back with K108. If I like M102 enough to keep, KVM might be repurposed for resort pow ski

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Strong move

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[Sylvan]

^Yup, they're all just so fucking good. Interested to hear your comparison.

[Robik]

Today was my first proper groomer day, no new snow for almost a week. Snow was hard but not bullet proof ice hard. M102 was shining. They feel quicker than K108, probably stiffer and sharper when rolled on the edge and still more versatile in turn shapes than M6 in 184 that I skied for a few days but didn't fall in love. These definitely have my attention. Both M102 and K108 need room and speed to run but are very intuitive and precise. Katana want to plow through stuff and is easier to break loose where Mantra wants to stay on edge.


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[Djongo Unchained]

As much as the M102 is ready to race, the appeal for me is that I can swing them really quickly.
I was thinking about it today while turning windblown pow in the big troughs, pivoting the tops.
I wanna say it's because the tails move easily back and forth without catching edginess and slowing them down; The tips swing back and forth so easily and being larger and heavier they drive the play, Initiating a tip direction change is easy, quick and complete.

That I can run this like an honest big GSer yet ski the hell outta the carvy big bumps with comfort is really appealing.
A two-trick pony.

All of my skis have to charge the cord, anything less is a nonstarter.
Floppy shoes are for Clown shows.

[Bandit Man]

Popped into the Whistler Outlet in Squamish on the way home today and helped myself to the last pair of 184 Kendo 88’s. Now I have all four in the collection! [emoji6][emoji16]

[Robik]

Popped into the Whistler Outlet in Squamish on the way home today and helped myself to the last pair of 184 Kendo 88’s. Now I have all four in the collection! [emoji6][emoji16]

Now things are getting even more interesting. Not much info here besides that it rips the groomers.

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